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Writer/director Eric Bednarowicz’ 18-minute comedy, “Carpe Millennium,” is not only included in a compilation of shorts from around the world, but the program will be distributed internationally starting this spring.

Oracle Releasing, a Los Angeles-based film sales and distributor, picked up Bednarowicz’ short after seeing it in one of the many festivals in which the film screened this year.

The story is about a young man (Steven Yeun of AMC’S “The Walking Dead”) who is determined to lose his virginity on the eve of the millennium.

DAVID SCHWIMMER AND ALAN CUMMING are the stars at CIFF’s Red Carpet Monday night. The Festival welcomes openly gay actor Cumming, who receives the fest’s Artistic Achievement Award as part of its OUTrageous Program, celebrating contributions to GLBT films.

GOLD HUGOS TEND TO BE SCARCE around these parts, so it was with understandable great excitement that Foundation Content’s Samantha Hart received word of a Gold Hugo awarded to their United Way piece in the Charitable Activity category.

“Everyone on the team collaborated on the film,” says Hart, to produce the 2-minute piece for presentation at United Way’s gala benefit last May,” says Hart, who came up with the Hugo Gold idea.

The piece utilized live action and special effects in the use of a clothes line criss-crossing the city.

The Illinois(e)Makers program of six locally made features — showcasing the best features, documentaries and short films with their roots in our home state ? figures prominently at the Chicago International Film Festival.

Illinois(e)Makers plays at various times throughout the 46th festival, which starts screening Thursday, at the AMC River East multiplex, through Oct. 21.

Here’s the program:

The Defiled, directed by Julian Grant, a Columbia College assistant professor with 29 features to his credit, is a zombie movie seen through fresh eyes: those of the zombie.

OCTOBER WILL BE HERE quicker than we can say “Chicago International Film Festival.” The 46th annual event Oct. 7-21 will host 150 important films from all over the world, starting with the Chicago premiere of “Stone,” starring Edward Norton and Robert De Niro, directed by John Curran, who directed “The Painted Veil” which also starred Norton.

KEVIN COOPER’S 3D dog comedy, “Shakey,” which starts shooting this month in the western suburbs, signed lead actors Steve Guttenberg (“Police Academy”), Beverly D’Angelo of the National Lampoon’s Vacation series) and Alfonso Arau (“The Three Amigos”).

Cooper, a Hollywood executive turned Columbia College professor, makes his directorial debut with “Shakey,” which is possibly the first comedy to shoot anywhere in stereoscopic 3D.

WOMEN IN FILM has made a righteous choice to honor broadcast trailblazer, talk show host, news anchor and community activist Merri Dee as its 2010 Focus Award honoree.

Dee has parlayed her celebrity into many children’s and educational charitable works. She spearheaded Illinois’ victims rights’ legislation after she and one of her talk show guests had been kidnapped, driven to a wooded area, shot twice in the head and left for dead, in 1971.

After retiring from WGN-TV in 2008 after 30 years, Dee formed full-service MD Communications.

THE AICE CHICAGO’S BEST AWARD went to Optimus’ Craig Lewandowski for a spot for Cricket Wireless from Element 79, at the gala national AICE Awards Show held Thursday night at the Field Museum. The show was the 9th annual competition honoring creative excellence in editorial, design and visual effects.

Alas, Lewandowski was the sole Chicago winner among the 23 awardees, although the work of six local editors made it into the finals.

It looks like HD has arrived at the consumer home entertainment level. Sears is now selling Samsung 3D television sets, although there are no 3D movies on DVD or shows on television for home viewing. Nonetheless, the retailer expects to sell at least 2 million 3D sets this year and suggests that number may be conservative.

Samsung’s HD 3D flat-screen sets televisions will be available with plasma, LCD or LED displays and feature Samsung’s Internet@TV service, a connection to a home broadband network via Ethernet or WiFi.

WOMEN IN FILM’S well-attended Executive Breakfast March 31 takes on a very broad subject — a panel discussion about “Bringing Production to Chicago.”

That provocative title could mean Hollywood features. Or it also could mean trying to stimulate commercial production, since Dan “Ziggy” Ziguluch, Draftfcb’s production head, is a panelist, along with the IFO’s Betsy Steinberg. Producer and former IFP president Sandy Gordon is the moderator. The Wit Hotel is the venue.

WELCOME BACK, ROGER! It looks like Roger Ebert is returning to television with a new syndicated movie review show from Chicago, expected to be taped at WYCC/Ch. 20.

Ebert’s TV return was announced in the briefest of terms on Oprah’s Pre-Oscar Celebration show Monday, with Ebert and his wife Chaz, and pretty much confirmed by a station executive.

As part of the Eberts’ appearance on the show was “A Day in the Life of ?” which included scenes of the couple arriving at WYCC/Ch. 20.

Ebert has a full-fledged production company and t’is said that Ch.

Hollywood actor Casey Siemaszko grew up deeply immersed in Chicago’s Polish community, performing with his parents’ Polish dance troupe. And Siemaszko’s father Konstanty fought for the Polish underground in World War II.

Siemaszko made a fitting return to his hometown Friday night for the opening of the 21st Polish Film Festival in America, at the AMC River East 21 theatre.

SWEET HOME CHICAGO was a spectacular success Monday at the Le Grande Orange restaurant in Santa Monica, when 350 Chicagoans in the industry turned out for a night of meetups, fun and some down home Chicago food favorites.

Sweet Home was picked up by former IFO director Brenda Sexton after a four-year hiatus, Lettuce Entertain You’s Rich Melman and entertainer Tom Dreesen, who emceed the first party 20 years ago and most of the 15 since then.

Director Quentin Tarantino will receive a special tribute at the Chicago International Film Festival’s 2009 Summer Gala Aug. 18, along with the Chicago premiere screening of Tarentino’s wildly awaited “Inglourious Basterds.”

The Tarantino tribute features a montage of his groundbreaking body of work and a Career Achievement Award from Cinema/Chicago, celebrating its 45th anniversary this year.

The tribute and premiere will be held at the AMC East theatre, starting at 6 p.m., followed by a reception at theWit hotel following the tribute and screening at 9:30 p.m.

Christine Varotsis, Mark Hogan and Tom Bastounes urge us to get our butts over to a seat in a theatre showing “The Merry Gentleman” this week to show support of a locally-made film.

The call for action comes after Chicago showed an embarrassingly low per-screen average compared with New York and Los Angeles… like 40% lower.

Ouch.

MALACHI LEOPOLD IS BOUND FOR THE SUDAN, thanks to a $10,000 grant he received in order to make the expenses of the trip. He departs April 5 for a full month of shooting a documentary centered on one of the Lost Boys of Sudan, who returns to his native village after a 22 year separation from his parents.

Leopold received the $10,000 check April 1 from the U.N. High Commissioner for Refugees based in Geneva, Switzerland.

He will be accompanied by DP Ian Issitt and two New York producers.

LOVE IS IN THE AIR for the first Hollywood project to be shot in Chicago so far this year, breaking the nine-month dry spell and portending more business ahead. The NBC half-hour pilot, “State of Romance,” gets underway March 30.

The half hour romantic comedy, described as a modern day “Pride and Prejudice,” will shoot for eight days entirely on location ? no sets called for at all.

Essanay is supplying the lighting and grip equipment. UPM is Rich Lederer (“The Beast”). Universal Media Studios is producing the single-camera project.

THE RADIO HALL OF FAME induction of controversial conservative broadcaster Dr. James Dobson of “Focus on the Family” stays, regardless of protests to the contrary by gay and other anti-bigotry groups.

Bruce DuMont, president/founder of the Museum of Broadcast Communications, Radio Hall of Fame sponsor, defended Dr. Dobson’s nomination by the RHOF steering committee. “Radio is an industry predicated on free speech — Dr.

Agency creative Larry Ziegelman’s romantic comedy short, “Check, Please,” based on a family incident, won the Illinois Film Office’s first Shortcuts short film contest.

IFO director Betsy Steinberg presented Ziegelman with a check for $665 and a crystal star award before his film screened as part of CIFF’s Short Films program Monday night at the AMC River East theatre.

Ziegelman, an ACD on the State Farm account at DDB, says he will use the check towards his next, more ambitious comedy that he will direct this weekend.

Locally-made features by Carl Seaton, Joe Swanberg and Tom Gustafson, a feature doc about an underground rocker, and 10 shorts shine in the Spotlight Illinois section of the 44th Chicago International Film Festival.

The 14 locally-made films screen on different days throughout the festival, now through Oct. 29, at AMC River East, 322 E. Illinois.

Executive producer Robert Townsend stars in “Of Boys and Men,” the third feature by Columbia alum Seaton (“One Week”), shot on a reported $650,000 budget.

Opening last week in more than 1,250 theatres nationwide, “Journey to the Center of the Earth” is the first wide-release movie filmed exclusively in the ?REAL D’ format.

As the AMC River East hosted the debut public screening, Reel Chicago heard the movie’s star, Brendan Fraser, and director Eric Brevig present the new technology.

Despite his established status, Brendan Fraser seemed both genuinely nervous and excited as he asked the audience to put on their “Buddy Hollies” before the screening began.

An estimated audience of 30,000 is expected to attend the 24th International Latino Film Festival, April 4-16 ? the nation’s largest cultural event, says founder Pepe Vargas.

Opening night spotlights the Spanish film, “El Prado de las Estrella” (“The Field of Stars”), at the AMC River East 21 Theaters, followed by a party at the River East Art Center.

Todd Haynes’ fractured Bob Dylan biopic “I’m Not There,” now in theatres, leads the nominees for the Independent Spirit Awards. Haynes talked with the audience after a preview screening at AMC River East, moderated by New City’s Ray Price.

Haynes casts six actors portraying different elements of Dylan’s persona, each shot in a distinct cinematic style inspired by the era.

Way back in the day of the adworld so aptly portrayed by the AMC series “Mad Men,” agencies largely promoted themselves through full-page ads mainly in Advertising Age to reach potential clients.

Few agencies since toot their own horns anymore, despite the horrific competition for new business. The welcome exception is The Ungar Group.

The latest in an on-going business development campaign is spot is called “Demanding Clients” and the copy was taken from a conventional want ad page.

HERE’S A REEL DEAL. Get free tickets to the screening of Jeff Garlin’s “I Want Someone to eat Cheese With” at the Nov. 6 Midwest Independent Film Festival by going to www.midwestfilm.com.

AND HERE’S ANOTHER. For a mere $15 aspiring screenwriters can learn about the craft, art and business of screenwriting from Paul Peditto, one of Chicago’s best teachers. He’s also a Jeff Award-winning playwright and filmmaker.

The Chicago Filipino American Film Festival and “7?

The world spotlight will shine on Chicago Oct. 4 when the 43rd Chicago International Film Festival?the longest running film festival in North America?opens for a two week run.

Some 150 features, shorts, student films and docs from more than 40 countries, many brightened by their stars and directors, will screen at five downtown and North Side venues.

The opening night program will be dedicated to Roger Ebert, who will be celebrated as the man who changed the way audiences watch movies.

“THE DARK KNIGHT” the latest “Batman” installment will forever be known as “one of the biggest features we’ve ever had in terms of scope, spending and job creation,” says CFO’s Rich Moskal.

How big? Out of $150 million budget, it’s expected to pump $45 million into the local economy and hire 390 crew persons, 250 day players and 6,000 extras.

This week “Knight” shoots exteriors and helicopter shots, goes to London for two weeks, then returns to stay through early September.

SPINNING HUNK POWER INTO RELIEF AID, “Ocean’s Thirteen” will have a June 7 Chicago premiere to support relief efforts in war-torn Darfur.

Producer Jerry Weintraub and “Ocean’s Thirteen” stars George Clooney, Brad Pitt, Matt Damon and Don Cheadle will hit Chicago on a three-city tour?L.A. on June 5 and Las Vegas on June 6.

Vanity Fair will host the Chicago premiere. It will include the screening at AMC River East 21, followed by a glitzy party at the new Room 21 restaurant and night club due to open at 2100 S. Wabash.

SPINNING HUNK POWER INTO RELIEF AID, “Ocean’s Thirteen” will have a June 7 Chicago premiere to support relief efforts in war-torn Darfur. Producer Jerry Weintraub and “Ocean’s Thirteen” stars George Clooney, Brad Pitt, Matt Damon and Don Cheadle will hit Chicago on a three-city tour — L.A. on June 5 and Las Vegas on June 6.

Vanity Fair will host the Chicago premiere. It will include the screening at AMC River East 21, followed by a glitzy party at the new Room 21 restaurant and night club due to open at 2100 S. Wabash.

TWO KODAK VETERANS have taken advantage of Kodak’s tempting early retirement package and will leave the company Jan. 31.

Regional marketing and sales manager J.J. Johnston had spent 33 years at Kodak, while regional account manager Ben Stone was close behind with 27 years.

In early January, Kodak will announce its reorganization of personnel placement and how territories will be divided as it moves deeper ito digital imaging.

Speculation is that the reorganization will not call for replacing the two Chicago veterans.

For the second consecutive year, Chicago will see a reel of 101 prize winning commercials from New York’s prestigious 2006 One Show when it screens Oct. 10 at AMC River East 21 theatre.

The complete exhibit of print and outdoor winners will be displayed Oct. 4-10 at Columbia College’s Conaway Center.

DANIELLE BEVERLY’S documentary “Learning to Swallow,” about Wicker Park artist Patsy Desmond’s journey to recovery after a suicide attempt destroyed her digestive system, screens at the Film Festival Wednesday, Oct 12 at 4:30 p.m. at AMC River East, 322 E. Illinois.

Beverly has been on the producing team for PBS documtaries.

They include include “Dance From the Heart” about the Joffrey Ballet, “Project Rebirth” about the healing process after 9/11, “Blink,” and the series “Independent View.”

“HOMESICK BLUES”, the 15-minute short that my wife Junko Kajino and I made in Osaka, Japan, will have its world premiere Oct. 8 at the Chicago International Film Festival.

The short is a prelude to our forthcoming feature film, also called “Homesick Blues.”

The short stars Japanese pop singer Zoey as an 18-year-old girl who runs away from her Osaka home, headed for Chicago hell-bent on becoming a blues singer.

Music by Shun Kikuta of Koko Taylor’s Blues Machine. Stephen Combs shot and edited. Sound by Benjamin Steger, Mark Messing and Adam Frick.

Veteran TV show producer Jamie Ceaser is working in L.A. for the next two months producing “Movie Club with John Ridley” that airs Fridays on AMC. She was brought aboard by executive producer John Davies, her old friend from Ch. 11 days.

“Sneak Previews” meets “The McLaughlin Group” is the way Ceaser described the eight-week series.

The 21st Chicago Latino Film Festival will screen 58 feature films from 20 countries and 31 shorts from 13 countries at more than a dozen venues across the city and suburbs.

The Festival’s Opening Night Gala April 8 will be followed by Silvio Caiozzi’s Chilean art world drama “Cachimba.” Caiozzi and producer Guadalupe Bornand will appear. At Northwestern’s Thorne Auditorium, Chicago Ave. and Lake Shore Drive. 6 p.m. Screening and gala, $65, $50 for International Latino Cultural Center members. Screening only, $20, members $15.

STARS HERE IN APRIL. Director Marc Forster’s comedy, “Stranger than Fiction,” starts shooting April 25 at Chicago locations. It stars Dustin Hoffman, Emma Thompson, Queen Latifa, Maggie Gyllenhaal and Will Ferrell.

The story’s about an IRS auditor who suddenly finds himself the subject of narration only he can hear: narration that begins to affect his entire life, from his work, to his love-interest, to his death.

AN ENVIABLE PROJECT. A post job for Leo Burnett and client Philips Sonicare dental hygiene that Machete editors started in May and kept growing and growing finally ended two weeks ago.

“Philips is an international player,” notes Machete partner Luis Landgraf, “and the number of spots kept growing and they were sent back and forth to Germany, Holland and Japan.” Everybody edited, he says, meaning: Marty Bernstein, Scott Cohen, new addition Kenan Legg and Mary Roland.

Peter Riegert comes to town Dec. 14, not as the famous actor he is, but as co-writer, director/producer of “King of the Corner,” his first indie feature.